Operation: Eagle Strike
by Anzac-A1
Summary: The fate of WWII rests on the shoulders of a lone SAS commando. Can he complete the most audacious assassination mission in history?
1. Chapter 1: Top Secret

**Anzac-A1 here! For reference, this story is my take on what should have happened during WWII. The British did in fact have a plan to assassinate Adolf Hitler, but chose not to. This is my view on what could have happened if they had gone through with it.**

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><p>Chapter 1: Top Secret.<p>

1st April 1944, London, England.

"Are you sure about this Montgomery?"

"Yes, sir. I believe if this operation is carried out, victory will be achieved far faster and hopefully with fewer casualties."

Prime Minister Winston Churchill sighed, leaning back in his chair. Before him stood Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery, who had been given the task of planning the invasion of Fortress Europe. Montgomery had devised a highly dangerous and daring mission which, if executed, had the potential to shorten the war considerably. The plan was to drop a lone British sniper into Germany, near Berlin. The sniper would make his way into the city, and assassinate the target. What made the mission unique was the nature of the target. Montgomery's plan called for the sniper to kill the leader of the Third Reich, Adolf Hitler. If their leader were to be killed, the Germans would be thrown into chaos, allowing the Allies to invade France, and then Germany more easily. Also, if the mission failed, it meant that only one soldier would die, as opposed to a squad of men.

"Well, I see your point, Montgomery. Have you any ideas on who you wish to send? I can imagine a lot of men would jump at the chance to kill Hitler." Churchill asked, leaning forward. Montgomery nodded.

"Yes, sir. I have someone in mind." He replied, handing the British PM a folder. Churchill opened it to find the picture of a young man looking back at him with black and white eyes.

_Name: Gavin, Matthew Louis._

_Age: 23._

_Nationality: New Zealand._

_D.O.B: 7__th__ August 1920._

_Height: 6'4"._

_Weight: 190lb._

_Blood Type: A+._

_Unit: 1__st __SAS._

_Rank: Lieutenant._

_Callsign: Zero_

Churchill looked at the file with a growing suspicion in his mind. Why would Montgomery, his most capable commander, suggest someone this young for such a mission?

"I must admit Montgomery, I'm surprised. Why is this young man your choice?" Churchill asked.

"Because sir, he's never missed a single shot."

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><p>"<em>Because sir, he's never missed a single shot."<em>

A few hours later, a lone figure lay prone behind the crest of a hill, his sights focused on a target one mile away. Slowly, the figure breathed out, before firing off five shots in rapid succession. Still watching through the scope, he spotted the range officer raise and lower a red flag five times, indicating all five shots had hit the target dead centre. Matthew Gavin grinned. His legendary accuracy was still as sharp as ever.

"I see your aim is still impeccable." Someone behind him said. Matthew stood and turned around to find himself facing Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery. Matthew immediately snapped to attention.

"Field Marshall Montgomery, sir!" he replied, saluting the veteran commander.

"At ease, soldier." Montgomery replied, returning the salute.

"Is there something you need me for, sir?" Matthew asked.

"Yes, there is. Please, come with me." Montgomery told him. The two men walked the distance to Montgomery's car. Throughout the long drive to London, Matthew wondered what it was Montgomery wanted him for. It had to be important, as a man like Montgomery was only ever given the most important jobs to deal with. After an hour, they arrived in London, outside the parliamentary building. Matthew followed Montgomery inside, into the prime minister's office. Churchill stood as the two men came in.

"Good, you're back." He said. Montgomery and Matthew saluted in return. Churchill nodded, then sat back down, as Montgomery stood to one side. "Now then, on to business. Lieutenant Gavin?"

"Sir!" Matthew replied.

"The reason Montgomery brought you here is that we have a mission that requires a man of your skills. There is someone in Germany that we feel needs to be eliminated." Churchill told him.

"With all due respect sir, who?" Matthew asked, curious as to who could be so important.

"The target, is Adolf Hitler himself." Montgomery answered, causing the Lieutenant to gasp.

"S-Sir?" he exclaimed in disbelief.

"We believe that if Hitler is killed, it will throw the Nazis and their forces into chaos." Montgomery said.

"Which would make the invasion that much easier." Matthew said, understanding the Field Marshall's reasoning.

"Exactly. We've chosen you because you're the only sniper that has a chance at this. The plan is for you to position yourself to eliminate the target during one of the Nazi rallies near Berlin. To facilitate your escape from the area, you'll have to shoot from a distance of approximately 1.5 miles. That is why you were my first choice."

"Sir, if it means that this accursed war can be ended even a few days earlier, I'm in."

"Good. Now, I've planned for you to be dropped into Germany near Potsdam. Because of the German AA defences and the Luftwaffe, it's too dangerous to try and drop you any closer to Berlin. A C-47 will get you there, escorted by two Mosquito night fighters. After you've been dropped, you'll need to make your way a few miles west, where your equipment will be dropped separately. After that, you'll proceed towards Berlin. From what I've been told, you can already speak fluent German, so you should be able to get there unnoticed. The idea is for Hitler to be eliminated the day of our invasion. However, the challenge will be you getting out of Berlin, and Germany altogether. We'll radio you to let you know what we've decided to do about that. Either we'll be able to drop you a bike, or you'll have to find your own means of transport. Once you arrive in France, you'll be able to head for Normandy, to link up with our forces after they've gained a foothold. Any questions?" Montgomery asked.

"No, sir." Matthew replied.

"Excellent. You'll now be taken away to receive extra training. This will familiarise you with your equipment, shooting at such an extreme range, and ensure that you can pass for a German."

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><p>The following month was one of the most stressful Matthew had ever known. The training regimen wasn't too tough, but it was the thought of the mission that made him uneasy. He knew that possibly the fate of the war rested on his shoulders. But the young Lieutenant ignored his fear, remembering why he had really agreed to the mission.<p>

"_Chelsea, Serene, Alex, I'm doing this for you." _Was the thought that ran through his mind all that time.

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><p>5th May 1944, over Central Europe, near drop zone, 20:00 hours.<p>

The drone of the Dakota's engines filled Matthew's ears as the aircraft, with its two night fighter escorts, made its way over Germany. So far, the Luftwaffe had remained silent, most likely dealing with a bombing raid by the RAF at the time. The Lieutenant tried to calm his nerves, his heart beating faster than the aircraft's engines. In his hand he held a picture of his wife, Chelsea, which he found often helped to calm his mind and remind him of why he was fighting.

"Sir! Ten minutes 'til we reach the drop zone!" shouted the co-pilot as he came back into the cargo bay of the Dakota and stumbled over to Matthew.

"Roger!" Matthew replied. The two men had to shout to hear each other over the engine noise.

"Is that your wife, sir?" The co-pilot asked, noticing the photo in Matthew's hand.

"Yes!" Matthew replied.

"She's very pretty, sir! You're a lucky guy!"

"Thanks!"

"Any kids?"

"Two, boy and girl!"

"Looks like you've got something to fight for huh?"

"I do!" Matthew replied. Suddenly, the aircraft was rocked as the German AA guns near Potsdam opened fire. Matthew shoved the photo inside his jacket, as the co-pilot opened the Dakota's cabin door. An icy wind rushed in, as Matthew slowly made his way over to the door. He gripped the frame firmly, as the plane approached the drop zone.

"All right sir! We're here!" the co-pilot shouted.

"Right!" Matthew replied. "What's your name, soldier?"

"Danny, sir! I'm from the US!"

"Hope you make it back in one piece, Danny!"

"I will, sir!" Finally, they reached the point where Matthew's mission began. "Good luck!"

"Thanks!" Matthew replied.

"Go get that Nazi bastard!" Danny replied. Matthew saluted, before leaping out of the plane. He fell for a couple of seconds longer than recommended, to ensure he wasn't spotted. He yanked the ripcord, and was jerked upright as the chute opened. Eventually Matthew landed in a field, near a small river. He quickly set about getting out of the chute and burying it, to conceal it from the Germans. Suddenly, he was forced to lie down in the grass as a German soldier came into view. The German scanned the field, searching for something.

"_He must have seen me land. I'll have to take him out." _Matthew thought. As the soldier passed him, Matthew rose to his feet slowly, before grabbing the German around the neck. Before the soldier had a chance to yell, Matthew drew his knife and stabbed it up through the German's neck into his brain, burying the blade up to hilt. The soldier's body went limp, as Matthew lowered him to the ground. He searched the man's body, grabbing his Sturmgewehr 44, along with two magazines of ammunition. After checking for any more soldiers, Matthew pulled out his compass, and headed west.

Thankfully, the Germans didn't have many patrols out, which meant that Matthew's short trek went unnoticed. After a few miles, he heard the distinctive drone of Roll-Royce Merlin engines in the distance. Scanning the sky with his binoculars, Matthew spotted a Mosquito in the distance. The aircraft flew overhead, after dropping something from its belly. The object descended on a parachute, before landing in the middle of a field. Matthew dashed over to it, but was then forced to shelter behind the crate as more German soldiers came upon the scene. The Germans marched towards the crate, as Matthew cocked the Sturmgewehr.

"_What is that?"_ one of the soldiers said, before Matthew sprang up and opened fire. Three of the Germans fell to ground dead, while the fourth dropped his weapon in shock and tried to escaper. With cool efficeincy, Matthew aimed and fired a short burst, cutting the soldier down before he even managed three paces. After making sure there were no other soldiers coming, Matthew forced the crate open. The crate had cracked when it landed, making the job much easier. Inside lay a trombone case, which had been lengthened and deepened. Matthew opened the case, then removed the inner part to reveal a false bottom. He removed the fales bottom to reveal a Lee-Enfield SMLE sniper rifle and one hundred rounds of .303 ammunition. The case had been altered to allow the rifle to fit, and the false bottom meant that the Germans would see it as a normal trombone case. After putting the trombone back in, Matthew puled out a briefcase that was also in the crate. He quickly removed his SAS uniform, dressing himself in the suit contained within the briefcase. His uniform went inside a hidden extra compartment inside the briefcase, which also contained a large sum in German Reichmarks, a fake ID, and a map of the region. Before leaving the area, Matthew dragged the crate over to a secluded area and set fire to it, destroying any evidence that it had ever been there, as well as dumping the bodies of the soldiers in the river. He then checked the map and headed southwest, towards Berlin.

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><p><strong>Well, like it so far? The next few chapters will involve less fighting, and focus more on Matthew's progress towards Berlin, involving more soldiers and even a run in with the feared Nazi SS. Keep reading and reviewing!<strong>


	2. Chapter 2: The Eagle's Nest

**Here's the next chapter in Operation: Eagle Strike. Matthew now has to make his way towards Berlin, whilst avoiding the dreaded SS. How will he do? Read and find out.**

Chapter 2: The Eagle's Nest.

"_Here's your coffee, sir." _Said the waitress, as she placed the cup on the table. The man there smiled back.

"_Thank you very much." _He said. The waitress smiled, before returning to her duties. After sipping his coffee, Matthew sighed. He'd managed to make it into Berlin, but there was a problem. He'd arrived too early. The Nazi's had planned another of their mass rallies, to take place outside the Reichstag. However, the rally had been scheduled for the 3rd June, but Matthew had arrived a week early.

This meant that Matthew would have to stay in Berlin three days longer than planned. This meant a highly increased probability of being discovered by the Gestapo, or more seriously, the feared Blackshirts, the SS. Thankfully, Matthew had remained undetected for the past six days, meaning that soon, he'd be able to make his escape.

"_That's going to be the hard part. It's at least 370 miles to the nearest border with France, and then I've got to link up with any part of the Allied Army, which won't be easy. However, that can wait until I finish what I came here to do." _Matthew thought. He quickly finished his coffee, and then left the cafe. The rally would be starting in two hours, and he needed to get into position at least half an hour beforehand. However, as he hurried away, he was spotted by a passing SS captain and two of his men, who thought it odd that someone should be in such a hurry.

"_You there! Halt!" _the captain shouted. Matthew stopped and turned around, as the SS men approached him. Matthew's mind was racing. He had a pistol concealed in his suit's jacket, but that would do little to help him in this situation. Matthew put down his briefcase and the trombone case as the SS captain stood in front of him.

"_Is there something wrong, sir?" _he asked.

"_I was just wondering why someone would be in such a rush. Do you have to be somewhere?" _the captain asked calmly.

"_No, sir. It's just that I've been eager to see the Fuhrer in person for some time now. I may have let my excitement get the best of me. I am just a simple musician, you see." _Matthew replied. He hoped his story would satisfy the German's curiosity.

"_Very well, I wouldn't want to keep a devoted citizen from missing our glorious leader's speech. Maybe I'll be able to hear you play some time. Heil Hitler!"_ the officer replied, giving the Nazi salute.

"_Heil Hitler!" _Matthew replied, returning the salute. Satisfied, the officer left. Matthew felt horrible inside. The worst part of the mission was pretending to be a devoted Nazi. The Kiwi hated every minute of it, but knew that he had to maintain the facade to ensure the mission's success.

Two hours later, Matthew was situated on the roof of a building which had a perfect view off the rally, which had just started. He would wait until Hitler made his big speech near the end, and then take him out. The timing was critical. By waiting until that point, Matthew knew that the soldiers would all be hot, tired and worn out from all of the marching and standing to attention. Also, because all the troops in Berlin were at the rally, he should be able to get out of Berlin relatively easily. His plan was to steal a motorbike or car, then make his way to the nearest airbase. Then, he would wait until dark, and steal a fighter from the base and fly west. That would get him out of Germany quickly, leaving Matthew to fight his way through occupied France to reach the allied lines.

A half hour later, Matthew watched through the SMLE's scope, as Hitler began his speech. Matthew held down his hatred, breathing slowly to keep his cool. Under his breath, he quietly recited The Prayer of the Unknown Soldier.

"I asked God for strength, that I might achieve;  
>I was made weak, that I might learn humbly to obey.<br>I asked for health, that I might do greater things;  
>I was given infirmity, that I might do better things.<br>I asked for riches, that I might be happy;  
>I was given poverty, that I might be wise.<br>I asked for power, that I might have the praise of men;  
>I was given weakness, that I might feel the need of God.<br>I asked for all things, that I might enjoy life;  
>I was given life, that I might enjoy all things.<br>I got nothing that I asked for, but everything I hoped for.  
>Almost despite myself, my unspoken prayers were answered.<br>I am among all men most richly blessed."

Slowly, Matthew loaded one bullet into the rifle. One shot was all he would need. One shot, one kill. He cocked the rifle, his breath slow and calm, as his finger hovered over the trigger.

"Oh God, if there is a God, save my soul, if I have a soul." Matthew said, centring the crosshairs on Hitler's neck, ensuring an instant kill if the bullet flew straight and true. Then, the dictator gave the Nazi salute. Matthew decided this was it.

"Goodnight, ya bastard." Matthew muttered, as he pulled the trigger. The .303 round sliced through the air, straight as an arrow. As Matthew watched, the bullet struck Adolf Hitler in the head, right between the eyes. The man was still for a moment, before he fell forward, slumping onto the podium. Matthew immediately went into overdrive. Swiftly, he ejected the spent cartridge and detached the scope from the rifle. He put his arm through the strap, grabbing the rest of the ammunition from the case. Leaving the case behind, he quickly crossed the roof, before sliding down the drainpipe. Without hesitation, he started running, rifle at the ready.

After about two blocks, a German motorbike screeched to a halt a hundred metres away. Matthew fired, killing the soldier on the bike. Throwing his body off, Matthew pulled the bike around, then gunned the engine. The powerful bike leapt forward, racing away from the building. In a matter of minutes, Matthew saw the checkpoint leading out of Berlin. Matthew flung the bike onto its side, sliding under the crossbar, before roaring away just as the soldiers at the rally were mobilising.

Darkness had fallen by the time Matthew crouched in the trees near an airfield a few miles outside Berlin. After waiting for the guards to look the other way, he sprinted across the open ground, before hiding behind the undercarriage of a Heinkel He 111 bomber. Not far away, sat a Messerschmitt Bf 109-E4. That was Matthew's ticket out of Germany. He quickly checked the area, before dashing across the runway to the waiting fighter. Not wasting any time, Matthew opened the canopy and climbed in. Thankfully, his training had included flying, so he was able to figure out the controls quickly. Matthew started the engine, taxiing onto the runway, as the Germans became aware of what was happening. Matthew pushed the throttle open, lifting the 109 into the dark sky. After gaining altitude, he headed west, towards France.

An hour later, the sun was beginning to peer over the horizon, as the Messerschmitt neared the French border with Germany. Suddenly, tracers streaked past Matthew's canopy, forcing him to break to the right. Craning his neck around, he spotted two Focke-Wulf Fw 190 fighters. Both fighters screamed in, cannon blazing. Matthew nosed down, dropping his altitude. He knew he couldn't outrun the 190s, so he would have to shoot them down. The three aircraft flew through a low valley, with the 109 jinking left and right to avoid the rain of shells from the 190s' 20mm cannons.

"_Try and match this!" _Matthew thought, as he chopped power and deployed his flaps. The 109 slowed dramatically, forcing one of the Focke-Wulfs to slide past. Matthew got the 190 in the centre of his gun sight and pulled the trigger. A hail of 20mm and 7.92mm rounds impacted the fighter, which exploded into a fireball. Matthew increased speed again, just as the other 190 fired again. Suddenly, the 109 shook violently, throwing Matthew from side to side. Looking out of the cockpit, he saw the left wing had been shredded by the 190's guns and was on fire. Matthew pulled back on the stick, forcing the 109 into a steep climb, the 190 still on his tail. At 3,000 feet, Matthew opened the canopy, climbing out onto the right wing, then he jumped, just before the fighter exploded. He waited a few seconds, before he pulled the ripcord, thanking his lucky stars that there had been a parachute in the cockpit. The commando hit the ground on the bank of a small river, as the 190 peeled away. After unbuckling himself from the chute, Matthew got to his feet and continued to head west, knowing that the Germans would be everywhere. Even worse, they were sure to know who they were looking for since Matthew had left his false ID in Berlin.

"_Par for the course." _He thought, as he headed into the forest.

**So, Matthew has completed his mission. Now he must face the toughest part; getting through occupied France! Review, people! It ain't hard!**


	3. Chapter 3: La Belle France

**Now Matthew faces the toughest part of the mission; reaching the allied lines while being hunted by every German soldier in France. Read on and see how he does.**

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><p>Chapter 3: La Belle France.<p>

The next day, Matthew was now far from where he'd landed following his brief dogfight in his stolen Messerschmitt. Thankfully, the forest had proven to be quite thick, so the commando had so far managed to evade the Germans, concealing himself in the thick foliage whenever a patrol came near. He'd had a narrow miss, when a German soldier stopped for a cigarette right next to the tree Matthew was crouched behind. After what seemed like an eternity, the German moved on, letting Matthew release his breath.

An hour later, the commando came upon a small village, still showing the signs of the deadly German Blitzkrieg of early 1940. The majority of the buildings were half destroyed, the inside of the rooms on display and open to the elements. Confident that there were no Germans around, Matthew moved into the village, his Lee Enfield rifle loaded just in case. Suddenly, Matthew spun to his left, as he heard what sounded like a tin can being kicked or falling over. Moving cautiously, he approached the house where he thought the sound had come from. Matthew climbed over the bombed out wall, finding himself in what used to be a dining room. Without warning, his foot hit something, causing Matthew to stumble. Looking down, it turned out to be a partially concealed trap door. Matthew shouldered his rifle and pulled out his pistol, then slowly lifted the door. Below, he was surprised and shocked to find a French family of a husband, wife, a girl and a boy, both children probably about ten or eleven years old. The family cowered in fear when they saw him, mistaking Matthew for a German soldier.

"_Please, don't be afraid. I'm not German, I'm from New Zealand." _Matthew explained, silently thanking his mother for insisting he learn French back when he was a boy. The family were visibly relieved, as they climbed out of the cellar one by one. The parents hailed Matthew with questions about how the war was going. They were overjoyed when he told them the Allies had landed at Normandy and had begun advancing through France. Matthew withheld the information about his mission, saying instead that he'd been sent to scout ahead or the British forces. The young boy was fascinated by Matthew's rifle, gazing at it with wide eyes. Chuckling, Matthew showed the boy how the gun worked, having removed the ammunition. Before he left, Matthew gave the family some of his rations, waving goodbye as he continued through the village. Suddenly, he heard the familiar sound of jackboots approaching. Matthew dashed towards the nearest house, climbing onto the first floor. He found a good sniping position and loaded the rifle with a full ten rounds before going prone.

A few minutes later, some French villagers walked into the square that Matthew overlooked from his position, closely followed by three German soldiers, plus an officer. Matthew was shocked to see the family he'd met only minutes earlier among the villagers. The soldiers forced them to huddle in the middle of the square as the officer addressed them.

"_We are looking for a certain British soldier. This man is a member of our enemy's special forces. We know he is here somewhere. If you know where he is, tell s and we will leave you in peace. If not, you will all be killed and we shall find him ourselves!" _the officer shouted. The French were clearly terrified, but remained silent. Matthew silently commended their courage in defying the German officer.

"_Very well. You leave with no choice." _He said motioning to one of the soldiers. The soldier marched forward and pulled the girl Matthew had met from the crowd, putting his gun to her head.

"_If you still refuse to tell us, then she will die!" _the officer shouted. Matthew aimed at the German soldier holding the girl, centring his sights on the German's head. He fired, causing the man to crumple to the ground, blood pouring from the bullet hole now in the side of his head. Before the other two soldiers could react, Matthew killed them both with two more deadly accurate shots. Desperate, the officer grabbed the girl, placing his knife against her neck. Matthew slowly crawled back from the edge, making his way down through the house. He emerged from the wrecked ground floor, rifle loaded and trained on the German, who luckily was looking the other way. Matthew slowly walked forward, stopping about ten metres away.

"Hey! Let her go." He said. The officer turned around, startled to find Matthew's rifle pointing at him.

"You! So you were here after all." He replied in heavily accented English. "Why don't you just give up? You don't want this girl on your conscience, do you?" Matthew was about to reply, when one of the French threw a rock at the German, striking him on the head. His grip loosened, allowing the girl to slip free. Matthew dropped his rifle, charging at the German. Before the officer could draw his pistol, Matthew's commando knife was buried in his left eye. Matthew withdrew the knife, as the officer's body dropped to the ground. Matthew picked up his rifle, as the girl's family approached him.

"_Thank you. You have done so much for us." _The father told him.

"_Just glad I could help. I'll be going now." _Matthew replied.

"_God bless you." _The mother replied. Matthew saluted, before heading out of the village, hoping to leave before anymore Germans showed up. A few miles down the road, Matthew quickly moved into the bushes, having spotted two more German soldiers. The Germans were sitting next to the road having a small meal. Next to them sat a motorbike and sidecar, a machine gun mounted on the sidecar. Matthew slowly crept up behind them, before knifing one in the back of the neck. Before the other German could react, Matthew's knife was buried in his chest. The commando wiped the blade clean on the German's uniform, and then hopped on the motorbike. He started the engine and roared off, still with many more dangerous miles to go.

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><p><strong>So, what do you think? REVIEW!<strong>


	4. Chapter 4: The Last Stand

**The final climactic battle approaches. Will Matthew survive?**

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><p>Chapter 4: The Last Stand.<p>

Two days later, Matthew had long since left the village behind him, still heading for the Allied forces. Although he'd made excellent progress, the Germans now knew where he was, and had dispatched a large group of soldiers to hunt him down. Matthew had been forced to abandon the motorbike, since it forced him to stick to the roads. He'd managed to take the machine gun, an MG 42, with him, plus two thousand rounds of its 7.92mm ammunition.

"_This should come in handy later." _Matthew thought, as he continued to trek through a small wood. After an hour, he came across another village, in slightly better shape than the last. Rifle at the ready, Matthew cautiously advanced through the rubble-filled streets. After a while, Matthew's nose was assaulted with an overpowering smell of decay that caused him to gag slightly. Rounding the corner, he came upon a horrifying sight; the bodies of dead French villagers littered all over the road. On close inspection they were all riddle with bullet holes, even the children. Judging from their position on the ground, Matthew could tell they had been shot from behind, presumably trying to escape the Germans.

"_These people can't have been dead more than a few hours. Which means there's probably still some German soldiers here somewhere." _Matthew thought. Trying his best to ignore the awful smell, he continued along the street. As he started to turn another corner, he stopped when he spotted three German half-tracks, both with a full load of troops, coming down the road towards him. Seeing an opportunity to acquire much needed transport, Matthew ducked into a nearby house as the half-tracks passed by. After a few hundred metres, both vehicles stopped and the soldiers jumped off. Matthew watched silently as they scouted a surrounding area, before unloading their equipment.

"_Must be stopping here for the night. Perfect. I'll ambush them at dawn, then grab one of those half-tracks." _Matthew thought. Patiently, he waited as the sun sank below the horizon. Once night fell, Matthew crept out of the house and slowly made his way towards the Germans, who were by now fast asleep. The lone commando stopped about twenty metres away, hoisting the MG 42 off his back. He quietly set the machine gun up on its bipod, loading the start of one ammunition belt into the weapon. He had to wait for light to ensure he got all of the soldiers before any could escape.

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><p>A few hours later, the sun slowly rose above the horizon, lighting up the street once more. As soon as the Germans stirred, Matthew opened fire. The fact that the Germans had slept on the side of the street was their undoing, as it made it easy to mow them down. Blood soaked the ground as Matthew cut the soldiers down before they could even work out what was happening. After a few bursts, the street now ran red with the blood of twelve bullet-ridden Nazis, as Matthew lifted the MG 42 up, dashing over to the lead half-track, which he now recognised as the German . 250, the fastest model they had, with a top speed of 47mph (76kph). Climbing into the cabin, he started the engine and backed up, before driving round the other two half-tracks, crushing a few of the dead soldiers beneath the vehicle's tracks.<p>

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><p>The next day, Matthew had made excellent progress, but there was a problem. From what he'd heard listening to the German radio, the Allies had advanced halfway to Paris and showed no signs of slowing down. As a result, the German 1st Infantry Battalion of about 1,000 troops was headed in his direction. Even worse, they knew exactly where he was heading; a small village a couple of miles from the Allied front line. They knew that Matthew would be trapped; with the fighting behind him and the 1st Infantry Battalion in front.<p>

"_Well then, if they want a fight, I'm sure as hell gonna give 'em one." _Matthew thought, as he entered the village. Once he reached the other side, he stopped the half-track and got to work. After an hour, he'd managed to drag a decent amount of rubble into a makeshift wall to offer some protection. He'd also unloaded and placed the two dozen anti=tank mines from the back of the half-track along the road, figuring if they worked on tanks, then infantry should be even easier. Also, he'd discovered more 7.92mm ammunition for the MG 42, along with two spare barrels. He now had four thousand rounds of ammunition for the machine gun, which he hoped would even the odds. Because the road he'd set up his defence on was the only one leading out of the village, the Germans would have to us it, since they needed their vehicles to get to the Allies in time.

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><p>A few hours later, around about noon, Matthew heard the distinct roar of German petrol engines. Looking over his wall, he spotted the soldiers of the 1st Infantry Battalion approaching, with a few half-tracks leading, most likely carrying their heavier equipment. The Germans had clearly sent the artillery and anti-tank divisions around the village, obviously anticipating an easy fight.<p>

"_Oh, I'll give 'em a fight." _Matthew thought, as the Germans advanced. Then, both of the half-tracks hit the anti-tank mines, detonating them. Both vehicles were transformed into massive balls of fire, shrapnel flying everywhere.

"_They must've been carrying mines or mortar shells!" _Matthew thought. Immediately he opened fire with the MG 42, unleashing a hail of bullets into the newly-formed smoke. He didn't know if he was aiming properly, but the screams were enough evidence that he was at least hitting the Germans. Every few minutes, Matthew would stop firing, and either change the barrel or let the current one cool down. When he let the barrel cool, he switched to his Lee-Enfield, firing a few well-placed rounds. There was the occasional lull at the start, as the soldiers ran into the rest of the anti-tank mines, but soon Matthew was being pushed to his limit, firing as fast as he could without overheating the gun.

"_Either these guys give up, or some Allied unit needs to show up soon, before I run out of ammo!" _Matthew thought desperately. He was about three quarters of the way through the machine gun ammunition, and only had fifty rounds left for the rifle. Suddenly, the MG 42 went silent; out of ammunition.

"Well, look like this is it. Better make these rounds count." He said, shouldering the Lee-Enfield, as the last few soldiers slowly advanced.

_Lay me doon in the caul caul groon  
>Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun<br>Lay me doon in the caul caul groon  
>Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun<em>

_(Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
>Where before many more have gone)<br>(Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
>Where before many more have gone)<em>

_When they come a wull staun ma groon  
>Staun ma groon al nae be afraid<em>

_(When they come I will stand my ground  
>Stand my ground I'll not be afraid)<em>

Matthew opened fire, taking aim at the lead soldiers. He ignored the bullets whizzing past him, instead he focused his attention down his sights. The Germans returned fire, even as they were cut down by the Lee-Enfield's .303 bullets.

_Thoughts awe hame tak awa ma fear  
>Sweat an bluid hide ma veil awe tears<em>

_Ains a year say a prayer faur me_  
><em>Close yir een an remember me<em>

_Nair mair shall a see the sun  
>For a fell tae a Germans gun<em>

_(Thoughts of home take away my fear  
>Sweat and blood hide my veil of tears)<em>

_(Once a year say a prayer for me_  
><em>Close your eyes and remember me)<em>

_(Never more shall I see the sun_  
><em>For I fell to a Germans gun)<em>

After a minute or two, the majority of the soldiers lay dead, while the rest had taken cover behind various piles of rubble. But for some reason, they hadn't moved for a while, even though they had a clear numerical advantage. Suddenly, a shell landed nearby, destroying a section of the rubble near Matthew's position. Matthew felt a searing pain in his left eye, as some shrapnel tore into it. Despite the agonising pain, he managed to crawl his way over to the house nearest to him. Lying up against the wall, he could see what had fired that shell. Two German Mark VII or Tiger II tanks were entering the village. Spurred on by this new development, the German soldiers advanced again. Matthew chuckled lightly, gritting his teeth from the pain, blood streaming from his wounded eye.

"_Well, guess I'm screwed now." _He thought.

_Lay me doon in the caul caul groon  
>Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun<em>

_Lay me doon in the caul caul groon_  
><em>Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun<em>

_Whaur afore monie mair huv gaun_

_(Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
>Where before many more have gone)<br>_

_(Lay me down in the cold cold ground  
>Where before many more have gone)<em>

_(Where before many more have gone)_

Suddenly, the lead Tiger exploded in a fireball. The soldiers dived for cover, just as the second tank was destroyed as well. Looking up, Matthew spotted two P-47 Thunderbolts fly overhead, rocket tubes attached on both wings. Just then, a few US Army truck pulled up a few metres away. A dozen soldiers climbed out of the first two and immediately charged the Germans, who were still in shock from the P-47s' attack. The soldiers in the last truck spotted Matthew and aimed their rifles at him, mistaking him for a German soldier. Matthew struggled to raise his rifle above his head, hoping the Americans would recognise the British-made rifle. It seemed to work, because they lowered their guns before rushing over to him.

"About time you Yanks showed up!" Matthew joked, glad to see some friendly faces.

"Soldier, state your rank and name." The sergeant ordered.

"Lieutenant Matthew Gavin, 1st SAS, sir." He replied. The sergeant's expression softened.

"SAS, huh? I've heard of you guys. They say you're pretty good." He replied.

"Good to know. I've been running from the Germans for about a week now, since I got out of Germany." Matthew replied, as the Americans helped to his feet and onto the truck, where they quickly bandaged his head to stem the blood flowing from his eye. One of the soldiers sat on the floor to make room, as the truck headed back to the Allied lines.

"Sir, if you don't mind me asking, what were you doing in Germany?" one of the younger soldiers asked. Matthew decided it would be okay of he revealed his mission, seeing as it was over.

"Sure, no problem. See, I was dropped into Germany just over a week ago, somewhere around Berlin. My mission was to infiltrate the city, and kill a certain high-value target." Matthew explained.

"Who was that, sir?" another soldier asked.

"Well, I can safely say that old Adolf won't be a problem anymore." Matthew replied. The Americans looked shocked at first, before the same soldier spoke up.

"Y-You mean...Hitler's dead?" he asked.

"Shot him myself." Matthew replied. The Americans were silent for a moment, then started cheering loudly. They bombarded Matthew with questions, until Matthew lapsed into unconsciousness from the loss of blood.

* * *

><p><strong>Well, how's that for a final battle? Just so you know, those lyrics in italics were for the song "Sgt MacKenzie" from the movie "We Were Soldiers", the lyrics in brackets being the English translation, while the rest is the original Scottish version. Next chapter, Matthew returns home a hero.<strong>


End file.
